Juhi Chadha, Sriya Srikrishnan and Zohar Fuller, students from Brandeis University in Boston wanted to spend a few weeks in Mumbai better understanding and contributing to the cause of communal harmony.  They joined with Parivartan School (a partner of AID-Mumbai) and Experimental Theatre Foundation.  Zohar's notes from her first week in the field - er, in the street - promise exciting days ahead. 

Here are snippets from her entries at Voice of the Parivartan Children

1, 2, 3 CLAP

June 17, 2009
...
I was proud of us as a group managing to make it to the school on our own today (it is tough to remember navigating the narrow lanes).

With our first batch we started going over our names by using BOPPING technique. (We each ducked down and they had to shout the name of the person who ducked! Great fun!)

We passed out nametags to them, and as Manjul pointed out, this was probably the first time many of them had had their names (especially in English and Hindi) on their bodies.

We hung up the rest of the drawings on the walls (what they drew yesterday).

I started leading them with clapping- a group bonding, “oneness” activity that our mentor, Manjul had suggested. The kids enjoyed it…

I like when spontaneity works.
...
It was fabulous. The kids did it! Individually, student volunteers went up and showed us the motions from their daily lives. Yes, for the most part it was repetitive (woke up, brushed their teeth, showered, drank chai, ate, came to school), but it was the confidence that they did it with. And all the kids were watching, engaged the whole time!

... Stretching the kids’ imagination, I used Juhi as my alarm clock and Sriya as my pillow. As I moved along my morning, they shifted into new props that the kids guessed. And they guessed correctly! And they loved it!

...

After shavasana, we spoke with Gayatri, the teacher, asking which kids are definitely staying (not going to enroll eventually in BMC formal schools). ...Gayatri requested that we go speak with the parents of the kids we surveyed, asking them to send their children to school.

Time with our mentor Manjul:  ...He mentioned that in terms of how to go about with the script, that we should pick up on small things that kids mention. Hints into their lives. And that we should go to the families and see the influences we have had on their children. See where that takes us. 

Diving Right In

June 16, 2009

When we arrived, Gayatri told us that the many of the kids from yesterday were accepted into the BMC (government funded) schools, which is a great accomplishment.

We taught them the wave as a short energy booster.  Little did I know that it is harder to teach kids things that are simple in my mind. They never did catch on to the fact that the wave is caught on as it moves along the circle- they were all doing the wave the whole time- but they were having fun with it, so that’s what counts!

We split up into groups to do nametags. Since most didn’t know how to write their names, I asked them their name by saying “nam!” and then wrote down in English what they said. I was probably brutally incorrect in my hearing and writing, but it was close enough for me to be able to communicate with them (see their names and call on them).

We then had them all draw something really important to them. We gave examples like their parents, friends, etc… ...I went around and told everyone “acha! And teeka!” (meaning good! And ok!) with the hand gestures signifying good that I have already picked up. I was jealous that the others could converse verbally with the kids…

We didn’t have time to discuss the pictures, we tried to hang them on the walls with tape but with the wind blowing the fans made it a problem.

I led them in “follow the leader", and whenever I turned around the kids had to fall to the ground. Juhi mentioned later that she had only started explaining the instructions to the kids in Hindi, and that they picked up on the rest by just watching me!

Around and around the pole in the middle of the classroom I was making a complete fool of myself, and at the end felt so much sweat all over me. But I was having a blast. The giggling of the kids filled me with extreme energy.

After they were exhausted (one child I think actually was already lying on the ground tired), Juhi asked them to lie down to do a shavasana, a meditative reflection. This is so different than how I usually end activities with kids- but this is fantastic because it leaves them energized in a different way.

Juhi asked them what they liked from the day. They all mentioned different activities from the day- great!

...When we did the drawing activity there were some kids who I believe have never held up a pencil before. They were looking at me, blank faced. So we helped them hold the pencil and draw.

Reflection with Manjul: He asked us what we wanted from him for this week and I said I wanted to know how to create more of performance energy with the kids. The others said something on the same lines.

Manjul taught us some things to start with, which included clapping methods as well as having them act out scenes from their life (i.e. what happens when monsoon hits? Does it flood your house? Act that out!)

June 15, 2009

First day of classes officially, although in some sense of the word it wasn’t exactly established…

When we arrived Gangadhar (the administrator) pointed out to us which building is our landmark in order for us to take control and realize how to make it on our own to the school.
There were 20 kids there today by the end of the first 2.5 hours.

They were all sitting in rows, sitting there with their little book in a plastic bag and pencil. I only recognized one of them. At first I thought it was a mistake and that we were with the younger kids instead, but when asked, the kids were aged 7 and 8 mostly (when this session should be aged 7-12).

I thought that they looked younger because maybe they are in reality less than 7 years old and their parents don’t really know their age (without a birth certificate), so they have guessed. I was told earlier that it is harder to convince the parents that the older kids should go to school because they are more capable and efficient at doing work at home for making money.

... I proposed that we all introduce ourselves and then do an action that we like and everyone copies it. I chose this task because I thought that it was basic enough- not too crazy theatrically.

There were many kids (we were going around in a circle) that were way too shy to participate. They stood there not saying anything. So another facilitator said “let’s move to the boys”. The boys raised their hand to participate- it was cute seeing them taking initiative!

Afterwards I led them in the passing around a sound and motion in a circle. I started with a basic motion like sticking my mouth out and using hands and saying ahhh.

Many were pretty shy when it came to this… and when they did it they laughed.

Then we sat down and the other facilitators were asking them about which songs they like. Everyone was pretty silent, so I said, “why don’t we make up a song?” So I went into crazy sound mode…where I said things like: saleeee cheee neeekeee hey?” and sang it… I wanted them to copy and repeat. They did so nicely. We did many lines of this inventive song.

During all this, there was a crowd at the doorframe of the school. People were curious. One boy was peeping through the window up above. It made me so happy ...

Soon enough, we were in a circle. And kids were going up on their own to sing songs.

WHAT?!!!! WHAT?!!! SO IMPRESSED!

They were singing confidently. The others were listening, for the most part.

... I brought up charades. I know that playing charades with this population involves catering to the activities that they know. I started by miming washing clothes and hanging them up. Almost everyone shouted their guess to what I was doing.

Meeting with Manjul:  We started by writing out our thoughts of the day, followed by sharing it.

... Manjul presented the option of performing right then what we had done that day at the school in order to create an image for him.

We weren’t allowed to talk in preparation for this performance. YES! I hate talking. So we moved around the space, and I took the lead starting when the kids first saw us enter the room. Then Manjul told Ria to play me. She said I was “the hardest character to play”. She tried imitating me making strange sounds….

I am enjoying watching the group dynamic and how others are taking in Manjul’s advice and attitude. I feel more comfortable, given the fact that I am more familiar to this manner of learning, but now I get to watch others go through what I went through…which is a whole different journey. 
 
June 13, 2009 
 
Juhi thinks that people should get off of their lazy butts and do something instead of always talking.

... I think that they shouldn’t give up on volunteers wanting to come. And that maybe some things can be accommodated to be more volunteer friendly, but maybe they can’t. I am willing to make the sacrifice of my comforts to do this work ...

Juhi reinforced that there are many people that want to help and volunteer but don’t know where to channel their energy and time because organizations like Parivartan are not on their radar.

... Gangadhar said he appreciates my spirit working in Wadala...

from Zohar's journals posted at Voice of the Parivartan Children | Would you like to volunteer in India? Apply for Internship